The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get understanding. -Proverbs 4:7
Dear members & friends,
Living a human life is quite complicated and challenging. It is complicated simply because we all are born into an established web of relationships and social expectations. Learning, understanding, and accepting how I fit into this pre-existing web of relationships takes a long time! And, it is challenging because none of us can ever be 100% sure of the choices that we make at each decisive moment. What makes our life most challenging is that while the future always remains uncertain, we must choose how to carry on in the present, because that is all that we can actually do.
One word that Proverbs seems to favor dearly is “wisdom.” There are countless definitions of wisdom from different religions, philosophies, and folk cultures. Yet, what wisdom does to the person who possesses it seems to be the same: the wise person is capable of choosing a way of life that enhances or brings security, fulfillment, and/or happiness to oneself. How can we make such wise choices while avoiding regrets and unnecessary troubles? Three things come to my mind: knowing what is important and what is not, understanding the consequences of one’s choice, and finally making the choice without being driven by forces of emotions, either positive or negative.
Living wisely does not mean that we do not make any mistake or that we do not have any regret. Rather, living wisely means that we do not let a single mistake or single regret rule our life for days, months, or even years. Also, living in the present does not mean forgetting what happened in the past or ignoring what may come in future. Rather, living in the present means focusing on things and matters that we can actually change!
Blessings, Rev. Junchol Lee